First encounter of an amazing type
by Svetlanacat
Summary: Napoleon encounters an unexpected match... Not Waterloo, but not really Austerlitz. A Pandora's box story.


-Alexander... Kuryakyn... Mallard. Mallard ?

-It's my mam... my mother's name, sir. Elena Mallard.

-Elena... Oh yes, I remember, Elena Mallard...

-Mr Solo ?

-Yes, Lisa ? You were right, this... young man deserve to be highly recommended...

-Of course, Mr Solo. **I **recommended him. There is some orange juice in your personal fridge. Mr Solo, Sasha...

-Thank you, mad... er... Lisa.

* * *

-So, you are Elena's son...

-And my papa is...

-I know who your dad is, young man. At the very moment I saw you... I knew it. Does... does your father come with you, Alexander ?

-Er... Sasha, sir. No, sir. Mama came with me. My papa... he doesn't really know that we are here.

-He doesn't « really » ?

-He doesn't... at all. I am sorry, sir.

-Sorry ? Why ? Oh, Sasha... you tilt your head on the right, and, now, you raise your eyebrow... just as Illya did.

-He still makes that. I am sorry.

-No, Sasha. I am sorry. You are so alike your father... Sit down. We'll drink some orange juice and talk. Don't worry, I have been surprised, when I saw you, but... I am glad to meet you. Really. Are you okay ?

-Yes, sir.

-Perhaps you could call me Napoleon ?

-Oh, no, Mr Solo. It... it isn't proper. You are the number one, section one, of the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement., the U.N.C.L.E..

-Yes, but you are my friend's son, Sasha. So you can call me Napoleon. Please, humor me ...

-Yes, si.. Napoleon.

-Good, Sasha. Now, tell me.

-It's May, si.. Napoleon. Tonya... Tonya is my sister. She is a little girl ; she was afraid because she had heard someone in the attic. So I went to look for the « monster ». It was just May. May is our cat. She was in the attic, with her kittens. And I found the box.

-May is the cat... And Tonya is your sister.

-Antonya, Napoleon. You know, I have been named from Mr Alexander Waverly. Antonya... has been named from you... Anthony. She is only six years old, but she is very intelligent.

-And you love her very much. I have two children, too, Sasha. My daughter is about your age and my son is about Tonya's age.

-Lisa told us about them... And, Napoleon...?

-Yes ?

-Have you cats ?

-Yes, Sasha, yes, we have cats. So, the box ?

-Er... yes. The box. It was an old box. I took it down and I asked daddy about it. He was... He wasn't very pleased, because, you know, I shouldn't have gone alone to the attic. But I told him why, and he understood.

-And he opened the box.

-No... Now, I see that he didn't really want to. But...

-You insisted.

-Yes, and when he came to kiss me for a good night, I asked him again. Mama helped me. She brought the box.

-And he opened it.

-Yes.

-Sasha ?

-There were an old record

-A jazz record ?

-Yes. A book in Russian, a dictionary... a pipe...

-A dictionary...

-Yes, and a yellow triangle, like this one, with 11... , and... a photo.

-A photo ?

-Yes, a photo, with you and daddy. With a quote from a Russian writer « If you want to be happy, be. » It's a quote from Tolstoi... Oh, but you know that, because dad told me...

-That I wrote it for him ? Yes, Sasha. So... he got it...

-I asked him about you, and he said that you were his best friend.

-Yes...

-And I was sorry, Napoleon, because I saw that it made him sad. And it makes you sad, too. I am sorry.

-It's just memory, Sasha.

-I talked with mama about memories... Papa told me that you worked together, that he left his job and that you parted. And that you never saw each other since this time. And...

-And ?

-I can't say that.

-Sasha, Illya, your father, was my best friend. You are his son, you can say what you want.

-Mama explained me. And I said that it was ... amazing. Er... no, I said that it was... stupid.

-Oh...

- That daddy and you were...

-Stupid ? And what did Elena answer ?

-That... I was right... Are you mad at me, Napoleon ?

-No, Sasha, no, but I don't know what you...

-I told my mama that I wanted to look for you...Since this night, you know, papa is... sad. I don't know what happened, why papa left the Uncle. Mama didn't want to tell me that. But both said the same thing : they hoped that some day I would have a friend like you.

-Illya told you that ?

-Yes, and... as you were friends, real friends... I can't understand why daddy and you never talked since ...

-It's a very long and complicated story, Sasha, my boy. When Illya, when your father left the... No, **he** must tell you. Anyway...

-I am sorry, Napoleon... but... I don't want you to tell me that story. I would like... I would like you to come with us at home. You could talk with papa, and...

-Sasha, it's a very kind thought, but what you want is impossible. We can't live in the past. Things are not that simple. I can't do that, bec... Sasha? What are you doing ? Where are you going ?

-I am sorry, Mr Solo. I ... thank you for the orange juice. Excuse me. Good bye.

-Sasha ?

* * *

-Elena ! Sasha !

-Excuse us, Napoleon. It was clearly a mistake. I should have known. Good bye.

* * *

-Elen... Lisa, what...

-You want me to call the Security, Mr Solo. You want them to arrest Elena and the boy ?

-Lisa !

-What, Mr Solo ? You wanted me to call you Napoleon ? The Napoleon I remember was a little less dense...

-What happened is far beyond a little boy's understanding... It's... the past.

-Yes, you are right : what happened... happened, twelve years ago. It doesn't matter any more. But that is beyond **your** understanding.

-Elena came. Illya didn't. He could have...

-You could have, too.

-Waverly ordered...

-I was there, Napoleon. His mission turned into a catastrophe. A young agent died. Illya held himself responsible for it... and he left. When you came back, Alexander Waverly ordered... no, he asked you to respect your partner's decision. And he added : "It's not time.". You decided that it would never be time... So, you are right. It's so easy, for him, to come back...

-He wasn't to be blamed. There was nothing he could have done. Alexander Waverly told him that. He could have talked to me. He could have waited. I have never underst... Lisa ?

-I've some files to classify. Mr Anders is scheduled at 6 pm, Mr Solo.

* * *

_And he had kept this box, with those memories tinged with sadness. And the old fox had eventually passed him the photo..._

* * *

-Sasha ?

-I was wrong. I shouldn't have...

-No, Sasha. You were right. You are right. You sowed a seed. Napoleon... and your father were very close friends. Both of them are stubborn, but, you know what, Sasha ? We are more stubborn than them. Don't cry, my Sasha. That isn't worth crying.

-Mama ?

-Yes, dear ?

-Perhaps... perhaps I could try to talk with Napoleon's daughter ?


End file.
